Americans are making healthier food choices but still rank near the bottom on some global nutrition polls.
There’s a bit of nutritional news Americans will need to digest. Last week, the Biden administration proposed that nutrition labels go on the front of food packages.
The labels on the front will not replace labels on the back but are meant to help consumers make healthier choices and better understand the nutrition of the products they buy. It could be a color code system or rating. In the proposal stage, it may take years before becoming a reality.
The last nutrition label change came in 2016 and companies still have time to reach compliance.
More than 73% of Americans ages 15 and older are overweight or obese, based on body-mass-index measurements (see chart below) and about 1 in 10 U.S. households are food insecure.
It’s the taste and price
A 2021 survey of Americans by the International Food Information Council shows that the priority of purchase drivers are the following: taste (82%), followed by price (66%) then healthfulness (58%).
The survey also shows that income disparity is a key to feeling healthy. Only 37% of those with incomes less than $35,000 view their health as excellent/very good while those who make more have a 58% excellent/very good health opinion.
What’s healthy
On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration announced a proposed rule that would align the definition of “healthy” used on products, with current nutrition science. The FDA noted that “more than 80% of U.S. residents aren’t eating enough vegetables, fruit and dairy, while most people consume too much added sugars, saturated fat and sodium.” The proposal appears targeted at sugary cereals that claim health benefits.
Plant-based options
Fortune Business Insights’ projections of the global meat substitutes industry show growth from $5.4 billion in 2021 to $12.3 billion in 2029. While meatless products are growing in leaps and bounds, the percentage of vegans and vegetarians in the U.S. has remained about the same.
A 1999 Gallup poll asked if people consider themselves to be a vegetarian and 6% said yes. In 2018, 5% said yes.Wanting meat
A 2021 poll by Market Research company Ipsos found 89% of Americans want to include meat in their diet. The same poll showed 69% of Americans say that they have some interest in eating a whole food diet, eating only cage-free and grass-fed meat products (62%) and eating only organic food (53%).
CDC dietary guidelines for 2020-2025.
Overweight or obese population
Measured/self-reported percentage of population age 15 and up in 2021. Based on the WHO classification, adults with a BMI from 25 to 30 are defined as overweight, and those with a BMI of 30 or over as obese. This indicator is presented both for “self-reported” data (estimates of height and weight from population-based health interview surveys) and “measured” data (precise estimates of height and weight from health examinations).
Plant priorities
Recommended daily portions for plant-based diets:
Experts suggest taking your time and gradually adjusting your diet over months as well as consulting your physician regarding your nutritional needs.
One of the most commonly asked questions about plant-based diets is: How do they provide enough daily protein? Here’s a look:
A tough row to hoe
In a 2014 survey of around 11,000 Americans, the animal advocacy group Humane Research Council found that 84% of vegetarians and vegans return to eating meat. Most lapse within a year, while nearly a third don’t last more than three months.About 35% of participants indicated that declining health was the main reason they reverted back to eating meat.
Sources: The Journal of the American Medical Association, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, Economic Research Services of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Gallup, International Food Information Council, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Fortune Business Insights Images: The Associated Press, Wikimedia Commons, The Vegan Society, SCNG photo illustration